If Hutch is gone, I wouldn’t pick either of these guys. Not Thibs because of his head and maybe his motor, and not Walker because he just wasn’t that productive on the field, never mind his combine numbers. There are a ton of other DE prospects not that far behind if behind at all - Johnson, Karlaftis, but not at 2. So get another pick, move down.
The reason I didn’t have an issue with Parsons is because no one ever said the kid didn’t work hard – his motor was always there. The issues with hazing seem manufactured. Everyone said that the kid was a leader on the field and the first one to practice and last one to leave, so I thought he’d fit with the Lions. Unlike Thibs …
True but there was simply no way for us to know either way. We were only conjecturing one way or the other based on hearsay, etc… I wasn’t worried about his work ethic or anything, I was worried that if it was true, it was the sort of thing that would lead to suspensions, etc… The best ability is availability, Like I said earlier I had the same concerns with Rueben Foster and DeAndre Baker, and those did turn out to be true, even though I couldn’t say so for sure ahead of time. Conversely I was never worried about Myles Garrett despite his unique personality and outside interests, and I’m not all that worried about Thibs either.
However, if he’s trying to walk a pre-draft process tightrope so that he ends up in NY (Jets or Giants), then f him, let him go. I don’t know if that’s true and I won’t know by draft day, but hopefully Brad & Co can sort it out.
Man I’d love it if it were as easy as you make it sound lol. Trade down is pretty much always my favorite option, but there’s also a less than 1% chance it happens. And that’s just historically, never mind in a class without any QBs worth trading up for.
I hear you. This has got to be the least valuable 2OA pick in recent history. I usually have a favorite target or two by now, but I honestly can’t seem to get behind anyone.
Our only hope might be if we aren’t sold on Willis and someone else like Denver or Washington is. Neither of them have much capital this year, but I’d ask for a third and next year’s first.
Well it’ll be Seattle now instead of Denver but they should have plenty of draft capital from that trade and have been known to make bad decisions (two 1sts for Jamal Adams?). I’d still call it a less than 1% chance but it’s probably not zero.
I dont get why people are making a big deal about KT not doing everything at the combine. Hutchinson didnt bench, are we going to knock him down for that? Hell, Sewell skipped a full year of football, did that mean he was a head case? I think people are looking for an excuse not to like KT.
I was among those who got taken in by the rumors swirling around Parsons last year, when it sure looks now like they were mostly targeted bullshit with the goal of making him drop. So I’m hesitant to take the rumors around Thibodeaux too seriously. But I still find his personality a bit of a turnoff.
Just because a player views football as a business, it doesn’t mean they won’t be good or won’t put in the work. Suh was always his own business agent first, everything else second, and he was still a dominant player. But there was also no doubt that he was going to play for the highest bidder whenever he got the chance. I’m not thrilled about taking someone like that second overall (again), just in the sense that I’d prefer someone who’s goal is to be a foundational player for this organization, who wants to play his career in Detroit and retire here.
That said… I’ll defer to our personnel people. If they decide he’s talented enough to be worth the investment, even if they only expect to keep him for 4-5 years, so be it.
Hey All, first time posting but been reading the forum for ages. Been a lions fan for 40+ years and hosting a draft party for the last 25 of them. So much like most of you, get over-involved reviewing draft prospects and playing out every scenario. Laying down some credentials, but really I’m just a Lions fan who tries to stay informed.
One thing I heard recently and may need to be taking into consideration is that the change in the combine by having the skills test and the bench press in the same day was new this year. They always held them on different days as it was thought that over exertion on one phase would affect the other. Ahead of the combine, the talk was that it was likely that guys would do either the skills or the bench but not both.
The reason I am mentioning this is that some posters are stating that since Thibs benched, but walked without doing the skills he may be less committed while Hutch gets a free pass for not benching. According to what I heard, they are basically doing the same thing so perhaps it is not the huge deal it may have first appeared.
That said, I do prefer Hutchinson. Thibs reminds me of Suh. An incredible player who can dominate games, but I always felt that we got about 90% out of him. Suh, to me, was a mercenary player who never quite felt like he was a true Lion and he had to many interests outside of football. You would see flashes, but I almost never remember him leaving it all out on the field. Guys have a right to have other interests and should have long term plans for their future, but with 2OA pick, I want a fully committed guy eating and breathing football. Hutchinson may not have the same ceiling, but his fit in the D is too good.
If Hutchinson is gone, Walker is the better option over Thibs. Ceiling is just as high as Thibs, just might take another year to learn enough moves to be a dominant sack artist. Georgia used him all over the line and asked him to control the outside run. He dominated in this area. With coaching, I believe he will get after QBs like no Lion has before. GO LIONS!!
I agree that weight lifting and combine events may not mix. I played hockey for 30 years and never would I have done a fully weight workout before playing hockey, that would have been stupid. Now, they weren’t asked to do a full weight workout, but the bench press is going to drain you to some degree. It may not have much if any effect on your 40 time, upper body vs lower body.
If you’re going to skip something at the combine, the bench makes sense. Nobody really believes the bullshit 40 times that come from Pro Days. There is a reason that the initial run of the 40 is the unofficial time, because we’re talking fractions of a second. Just a different running surface, or a slightly different slope could make a major difference. As for the bench, could the home team help you cheat? I suppose, but then maybe you have 29 instead of 27. Nobody really cares.
The thing with Thibs is he said he was doing a full workout, then seem to get upset with his 40 time when it was initially called 4.65, prior to them changing it, then he seemed to flake out and leave. Guy has some serious flags.
Good point about Thibs saying he was going to do everything, and then did not. I forgot about that and that does carry more weight with me. Thibs is going to be an exceptional player, I am just fine with him doing that elsewhere. Wouldn’t surprise me to see him play 7 years and hang 'em up to pursue other interests.
My board hasn’t changed I got Hutch first and Thibs a close 2nd followed by Hamilton. Walker was a 2nd Rd pic on most boards and was not considered by any a top 5 pic, then he runs a great time and has good combine, and everyone got him on par with Hutch and Thibs. His production doesn’t match a top 5 pic. This is exactly how guys bust IMO. He might be Reggie white but probably closer to Levi. I think I would rather have Johnson then Walker in the top five. I’m am more of a production guy my self. Now doesn’t mean I don’t like Walker because I do just not in top five or before Hutch Thibs or Hamilton.
